


The Night Before the End

by starrdust411



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Angst, Depressed Yamcha, Drinking, End of the World, First Kiss, Gallows Humor, Getting Together, M/M, Reflection, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2016-06-12
Packaged: 2018-07-14 12:52:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7172531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrdust411/pseuds/starrdust411
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You didn't come here to train, did you?" Tenshinhan asked even though the answer to that question had become clear hours ago.</p>
<p>	Yamucha gave a soft sort of huff and smiled as he gazed up at the sea of stars spread out above them. The stars at night had become such a common sight to him that Tenshinhan often forgot that it was something special for others. City dwellers like Yamucha couldn't see things so clearly at night and if Tenshinhan were the poetic type, that thought might make him a bit sad.</p>
<p>	"Just thought I'd stop by and share a drink to the end of the world."</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Night Before the End

Tenshinhan wrinkled his nose as the bitter taste of beer sloshed against his tongue. He wasn't really one to shy away from alcohol -- the occasional bottle of warm sake was a treat he indulged in at times even if it wasn't good for his training -- but beer wasn't really his drink of choice, especially one so aggressively acrid. Yet when Yamucha had passed the bottle his way Tenshinhan felt obligated to accept.

Yamucha's sudden arrival that night to his training ground was a somewhat unexpected sight, yet given their situation he should have anticipated as much. Tomorrow they would gather together in some arbitrary wasteland in the middle of nowhere to participate in that monster Cell's self made tournament. It felt strange to bow to such a creature's whim, but given how frightfully powerful Cell had become in his perfect form, there seemed no choice but to amuse him in this way. He had assumed that Yamucha's intentions that night were to partake in a sparring exercise in the hopes of fitting in some last minute training yet his uneasy aura and the somewhat defeated smile on his face told Tenshinhan otherwise.

The two of them did spar for a while, but Yamucha's moves were sloppy and unfocused and told Tenshinhan quite clearly that his heart wasn't into the exercise. After a few blows were exchanged and the two had worked up a satisfying sweat, they gathered around the fire that Chaozu had built at dusk. That was when Yamucha produced a battery operated radio and a cooler stocked with an assortment of beer. Tenshinhan began to understand Yamucha's intentions then.

Chaozu had taken a hesitant sip from his bottle and decided instantly that he didn't care for any more. Instead he busied himself by playing with the radio. There were a few cassette tapes and CDs that Yamucha had brought along, but the antenna was somehow strong enough to pickup stations despite their current location out in the wild and Chaozu suddenly found himself fixated. Pu'ar, who had naturally come along with Yamucha, had tried to help Chaozu work the knobs in search of some music worth listening to, but it soon became clear that Chaozu was more interested in listening to the disc jockeys bantering back and forth.

They chatted comfortably for a while; Tenshinhan finished his drink and grabbed another (the flavor having grown on him a bit) while Yamucha had already finished off two bottles and began work on a third. Pu'ar had his own small can that he would sip from, but after a time his eyes began to droop and before long he was curled up beside the fire dozing easily next to the half empty can. Soon after, Yamucha and Tenshinhan moved away from the fire's glow. They found a patch of grass a few paces away where they could sit on top of a large flat rock and gaze up at the stars.

"You weren't here to train, were you?" Tenshinhan asked even though the answer to that question had become clear hours ago.

Yamucha gave a soft sort of huff and smiled as he gazed up at the sea of stars spread out above them. The stars at night had become such a common sight to him that Tenshinhan often forgot that it was something special for others. City dwellers like Yamucha couldn't see things so clearly at night and if Tenshinhan were the poetic type, that thought might make him a bit sad.

"Just thought I'd stop by and share a drink to the end of the world."

Tenshinhan watched in silent surprise as Yamucha punctuated his sentence with a pull from his bottle. He wouldn't say that such a somber thought hadn't crossed his mind once or twice, but it was still strange to hear his friend put those feelings to words in such a casual manner.

"You don't believe Son can pull it off?"

They were far from the glow of the camp fire, but Tenshinhan was still able to catch the way Yamucha's features began to grow soft and solemn in the gloom. "I don't think _Goku_ believes he can pull it off," he admitted. "He hasn't been training. Just spending time with his family."

He hummed as he considered Yamucha's words. It wasn't like Goku to slack off before a battle. "Perhaps he has an ace up his sleeve?" he mused.

"I thought of that," Yamucha sighed. "Kuririn asked him as much the other day, but Goku didn't say anything."

Coldness crept into the pit of his stomach. It wasn't at all like Goku to be so cavalier and it certainly wasn't like him to be anything short of anxious for a fight. In that moment Tenshinhan understood the cause of Yamucha's dour mood. It had become so natural for them to rely on Goku in a pinch. It was shameful for him to admit such a thing, especially when he was still training tirelessly for the day he would surpass Son, but knowing that even Goku felt their cause was lost made the night seem that much darker.

The windswept by them, causing the tall blades of grass to bend and flow like waves of water. In the distance he could hear the chatter from the radio and the crackle of the fire. He shivered, not from the wind, but the scent of Yamucha's skin that the air had pushed his way. Somehow even though they had sparred hours ago the scent of sweat still lingered on Yamucha. Faintly he wondered if the other man's skin was still heated too and found himself pressing the tip of the empty bottle to his lips in order to cover the blush spreading across his face.

Tenshinhan had always felt a certain longing towards Yamucha, something he had assumed was a childish desire that he would eventually outgrow, yet never did. Most days he was easily able to push those thoughts aside, but given their circumstances and the sense of inevitability spreading around them, it was hard to fight off.

He sighed, giving up on the act of pretending to drink and decided instead to busy himself with rolling the empty bottle between his calloused hands. "We've been in tight spots before," he ventured at length. "Something... things usually turn out right in the end."

"What if it doesn't this time?" Yamucha lamented. "What if it's the end for real?"

Tenshinhan said nothing as he rolled the idea around in his mind. He had faced death before, but even in his dying moments a part of him had known it wouldn't be the end. This time if they lost there was no coming back, because Cell wouldn't stop at Earth. He was certain that Cell's evil mind wouldn't be satisfied with simply leaving one planet in ruin and that the entire galaxy was likely in danger.

Suddenly the idea of being afraid to hold another man's hand seemed petty. Yet Tenshinhan still felt a panicked heat spread across his being at the thought.

"If this is the end," he began carefully, "do you have any regrets?"

Yamucha scoffed, a short bitter sound that didn't quite suit him. "Tons," he huffed as he shifted gracelessly beside him. "Never married, never had a family, never went past the first round of the Budokai..." Yamucha took a moment to finish the last of his drink before continuing. "What about you?"

Tenshinhan allowed his third eye to glance Yamucha's way and was relieved to see that the other man's gaze was turned skyward. He felt a touch better knowing that the blush lighting his features had gone unseen by his companion. "A few," he said at length.

Yamucha glanced at him then, an expectant look on his face, and Tenshinhan was quick to avert his own gaze. "Like?" Yamucha pressed, but Tenshinhan was set on keeping his words bottled up inside. "Tight lipped as usual," Yamucha chuckled mirthlessly. Tenshinhan found another bottle being pressed against his side and allowed himself to shift enough to accept the offering. "C'mon. Think of this as a death bed confession: nothing said leaves this field."

He allowed himself a small grin at Yamucha's dark humor as he removed the cap from his bottle. "Let's just say my regrets are somewhat in the same vein as yours."

Yamucha hummed knowingly. "Of course. You always did say you wanted to have a rematch with Goku."

Tenshinhan blushed and took a long gulp from his bottle, nearly emptying the glass in one breath. "That's not quite what I meant," he confessed.

"You mean something more romantic?" Yamucha asked and Tenshinhan couldn't help feeling offended at the incredulous tone. Did the others really perceive him to be so cold? "I never would have pegged you for the type."

"I am human, after all," he countered, his words a bit more defensive than he had intended.

"True enough," Yamucha chuckled and for the first time that evening it didn't seem quite so bitter or forced. Tenshinhan smiled as Yamucha raised his bottle in his direction. "To the one that got away," he said in a bitter sort of salute. Their bottles met with a light clink and they finished their drinks in an easy silence.

The stars above them twinkled peacefully as the windswept by once again. Yamucha sighed and leaned forward resting his elbows against the caps of his knees. "You know, Goku had the right idea," he mused. "Marry young and start a family early. If I could do it all again..."

"Well first you'd have to find the right person," Tenshinhan found himself saying and instantly regretted his words. Thoughts of Bulma and the bitter end to her relationship with Yamucha instantly flashed in his mind, and Tenshinhan was certain those same thoughts were flashing in Yamucha’s as well. "That is, Son got lucky with his wife. We can't all find a soul mate who wants to marry you the second the opportunity arises."

He was relieved when Yamucha only answered with a shrug and a soft "Yeah."

Tenshinhan swirled the bottle in his hand and heard the slight slush of liquid inside. He wondered distantly how life might have been if he'd had the courage to tell Yamucha his feelings years ago. A part of him grew tight and cold at the thought that everything they had been through together could have been lost if his feelings had not been returned. Yet all the same a small thrill ran through him at how much closer the honesty would have brought them. His palm itched with the urge to grasp Yamucha's fingers, but he contended himself by grasping the bottle's slick surface instead.

"Well," Yamucha muttered. "I suppose this is a pretty decent way to spend the last night on Earth."

In that moment Tenshinhan decided to swallow his pride and push aside any reason or doubt lingering inside. With one swift movement he tossed the bottle aside and cupped Yamucha's face in his hands. Their mouths met with a firm press of lips and a muffled gasp. Yamucha’s mouth was warmer than Tenshinhan had imagined it would be; warm, but chapped and rough against his own dry lips. Their noses bumped together awkwardly, the tips sliding beside one another as Tenshinhan found himself breathing in Yamucha’s exhaled breath. His palm felt the stubble on Yamucha’s cheek scratch along his skin, the pad of his thumb brushed against the rough tissue of the edge of his scar and everything was so hard and firm, not soft and delicate the way he had always thought kissing would be. Tenshinhan felt his chest tighten at the thought that this may well be his first and last kiss.

Yamucha recovered himself quickly, having stiffened in stunned surprise for only half a second before pressing his hands against Tenshinhan's shoulders and pushing him away. Even in the faint starlight Tenshinhan could still make out the way Yamucha's face had turned bright red and how wide his eyes had grown. The weight of his mistake was sudden and sharp as Tenshinhan sat there while his heart dropped into his stomach.

"Am I drunk or did you just kiss me?" Yamucha asked breathlessly.

"I'm sorry," Tenshinhan blurted out, his own face burning with shame. "I shouldn't have..."

"You did!" Yamucha touched a hand to his own lips as if searching for evidence of what just transpired.

"I'm sorry," he said again as he slid off the rock and got to his feet. "I'm... sorry. I'll leave."

He had hardly taken a single step before Yamucha reached out and grabbed his wrist. "Wait a minute," Yamucha cut in, his words coming out quickly but with an edge of dizzying confusion. "It's your camp."

Tenshinhan stiffened as he studied his friend's features carefully. He could see traces of shock and uncertainty and maybe a slight drunken haze in Yamucha's expression, yet anger didn't appear to be there. "You're ... not angry?"

"Not angry," he assured. "Just..." Yamucha shook his head, his hand slipping away from Tenshinhan's side. He could almost hear the gears churning in Yamucha’s skull. It was as if a puzzle he had built in his mind had suddenly fallen apart and all of the pieces had become warped and changed. Tenshinhan stood there, watching him process this moment, feeling cold and exposed as he waited to find out just how badly everything had become. "We've known each other for years! Where did that come from?"

He offered Yamucha a sheepish shrug as he slowly lowered himself back down, careful to give Yamucha plenty of room. "Last night on Earth?" he offered weakly.

Yamucha laughed, strangled and low without a hint of irony. "Yeah. Last night on Earth." Tenshinhan didn't have to read his mind to see that Yamucha had a dozen questions, but had already decided not to ask a single one of them. Instead he just smiled sadly and pressed a hand to Tenshinhan's knee. It was neither heavy nor light, but the touch was there and it made Tenshinhan’s head spin and his heart grow still. "Is this how you want to spend it?"

"Yes," Tenshinhan blurted, because even if this was pity, he decided in that moment that he wasn't too proud to accept it. He held his breath and grasped Yamucha's hands, cradling his fingers in between his palms the way he had always dreamed of doing for so long. They were just as coarse and calloused as he had imagined and Tenshinhan wanted nothing more than to hold on to the warm feeling that had built up into the pit of his chest forever. "That is... if this is going to be our last night in this world then I want to send it with you. And... Perhaps, kiss you again? If you don't mind."

Yamucha laughed again and Tenshinhan was pleased that it was genuine and light. "That does sound nice," Yamucha said. "Why don't you close your eyes and let me show you how it's done."

He felt like an over eager child as he closed his eyes as instructed. It was impossible to hold back the shudder that coursed through him as Yamucha's warm palm cradled his cheek gently and he wondered if it felt just as rough as Yamucha’s had. Their lips met with a soft caress of skin, the gesture much slower and more deliberate than Tenshinhan’s own rushed smash of mouth against mouth had been and a flush spread across his face. 

For just a moment, Tenshinhan felt certain that if the world truly did end tomorrow, then he would have lived his life to its fullest.


End file.
